The present invention relates to a sphygmomanometer cuff that is wrapped around a human upper arm in measuring blood pressure to apply pressure necessary for measuring blood pressure.
A sphygmomanometer cuff generally consists of an outer bag 70 having a pair of strip-like cloth material overlapped and joined at the outer periphery, and an air bag 72 arranged within this outer bag 70, as shown in FIG. 10. A tube 73 is attached to air bag 72 for inflating/deflating the air bag. Tube 73 is drawn out of outer bag 70 and connected to a sphygmomanometer body.
Recently, in order to improve the sensitivity to detect pulse waves, air bag 72 is formed of vinyl chloride. Because of its feature of being thin, however, air bag 72 made of vinyl chloride may wind around tube 73 when used over years as shown in FIG. 10.
In order to solve this problem, Japanese Utility-Model Laying-Open No. 2-116406 discloses a sphygmomanometer cuff, in which an outer bag 80 and a thin-walled air bag 81 arranged in outer bag 80 are integrally adhered as shown in FIG. 11. This adhered portion is, for example, at a tube attaching portion of air bag 81 (i.e. a coupling part of air bag 81 to tube 83) or at opposing ends 86 of air bag 81. Outer bag 80 and air bag 81 are made integral at these parts 85 or 86, for example, by hot welding. The above noted publication also discloses that the tube attaching portion of air bag 81 is provided with a projecting piece, which is adhered to outer bag 80.
In the cuff described in the above noted publication, however, outer bag 80 and air bag 81 are partially adhered and fixed each other. Therefore, when air bag 81 is fractured, air bag 81 cannot be replaced. Further, when outer bag, which is susceptible to contamination, is to be washed, air bag 81 cannot be removed from outer bag 80. In other words, once air bag 81 is fractured, even outer bag 80 must also be replaced, resulting in waste of resources. In addition, to wash outer bag 80 is difficult.
In order to solve the above noted conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a sphygmomanometer cuff allowing replacement of an air bag and also preventing such an inconvenience as winding of the air bag within an outer bag and the like.
A sphygmomanometer cuff to achieve the above noted object has an air bag arranged within an outer bag, from which a tube attached to the air bag is extended outward. The outer bag is provided with an opening portion for replacing the air bag. An anti-rotating member for preventing rotation of the air bag within the outer bag is provided on at least one of a tube attaching portion of the air bag and the vicinity thereof. The tube of the air bag is drawn out of the outer bag through the opening portion.
Since the outer bag has the opening for replacing the air bag in this cuff, the air bag can be easily taken in and out through the opening portion, and replacement of the air bag is realized. Further, since the air bag has the anti-rotating member at the tube attaching portion or at the vicinity thereof, the air bag will not be displaced within the outer bag, thus eliminating any inconvenience such as winding of the air bag etc., even if torsion force is exerted on the tube with the air bag arranged within the outer bag, or the cuff is repeatedly stored away with the tube twisted.
It is noted that, though the opening portion of the outer bag for replacing the air bag may not provide opening/closing, a fastener for opening and closing the opening portion may be provided at the opening portion excluding an exit of the tube, to dose the opening portion when the air bag is placed in the outer bag. Furthermore, since the fastener is not provided at the tube exit, the tube exit can be easily found when the air bag is put into the outer bag, and thus the air bag will not be placed inside out
The anti-rotating member provided at the tube attaching portion of the air bag or at the vicinity thereof is not limited in its shape and material, as long as it has an effect of preventing rotation of the air bag within the outer bag. Conveniently, the anti-rotating member includes a fastener when the opening portion is provided with a fastener. Specifically, in such a case, when the fastener of the anti-rotating member and the fastener of the opening portion are made engageable with each other, it would be convenient for use.
In the sphygmomanometer cuff of the present invention, the anti-rotating member is fixed to the tube attaching portion of the air bag, for example, by hot welding.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anti-rotating member is expanded from the tube attaching portion to the surface of the air bag. In this case, the anti-rotating member can be fixed to the tube attaching portion by hot welding, and to the surface of the air bag by adhesion.